Depth gauge for road tools



June 26, 1928. v 1,674,840

D. W. RIDDLE DEPTH GAUGE FOR ROAD TOOLS Filed March 2; 1927 j K31a/vanto@ J5" Beniel Wffddle iwf@ Patented june 26, 1928.

DEPTH GAUGE FOR ROAD TOOLS.

Application filed March 2, 1927. Serial No. 171,977.

This invention relates to depth gauges for road tools of the characteremployed in grading or otherwise working the surface of a roadway, andthe invention relates more particularly to a device adapted to ride uponthe curb to limit the depth that the tool pene trates the road bed.

An object of the invention is to make it possible to grade the roadaccurately to a fixed level. The invention is especially useful ingrading roads to any predetermined level, preparatory to paving thesame, in order that after constructingthe pavements thereon, of thethickness required in the contracts under which the roads are beingbuilt, the finished surface of the pavement will correspond accuratelyto the established grade throughout the length of the pavement. nAnother object of the invention is strength and simplicity ofconstruction.

A further object is attachability of the device to a road tool ofstandard construction.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention:

F ig. 1 is a side elevation of a depth gauge zonstructed in accordancewith the provisions of this invention, a road tool, on which the gaugeis mounted, being indicated in broken lines. The curb on which the gaugerests is also indicated.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the invent-ion, partly insection.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevation of Fig. 2, partly in section, from theline indicated by 3-3, Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, there is provided an angular bracket 4 of anysuitable construction, provided, in this instance, at one end with afiange 5 for attaching the bracket to a road tool. Such a road tool isindicated in broken lines at A in Fig. 1. The tool thus indicated isprovided with a scraper blade B. The flange 5 is attached close to theupper edge of the scraper B by bolts 6 or any other suitable fasteningdevices. The legs 7 of the member 4 projects upwardly from the scraperblade B and the other leg 8 of said member 4 extends substantiallyhorizontally and is provided at one end with a split bearing 9 in whichis clamped a cylindrical stem 10. The clamping effect is produced bybolts 11 which draw the opposite halves of the bearing 9 toward eachother. lt will thus be seen that the stem 10 is adjustably mounted inthe bearing 9 so that said stem can be raised and lowered relative tothe bracket 4. Also the stem can be rotated relative to the bracket.

The stem 10 terminates at its lower end in a fork 12, which carries aroller 13 rotatably mounted in the fork by a bearing of any suitableconstruction, preferably an antifriction bearing of the roller type. Thebearing rollers 14 surround a bolt 15 which constitutes the shaft uponwhich the roller 13 turns.

It will be readily understood that when the bolts 11 are loosened theroller 13 may be raised or lowered so as to run on the upper face of acurb C when the blade B is positioned at a predetermined level relativeto said face; and that the roller 18 may be turned in a horizontal planeto permit of the blade B being rotated horizontally to different angularpositions with respect to the curb C.

Preferably, the shaft 15 is provided with an oil duct 16 which extendsfrom one side of the middle portion of the shaft to one end thereof, sothat lubricant may be injected into the bearing through the duct 16.Preferably, a nipple 17 is threaded into the duct 16 and communicateswith said duct so as to facilitate injecting the lubricant with a greasegun.

The invention operates as follows Assuming, for example, that a road bedis to be graded to a given depth below the level of the upper edge ofthe curb, indicated at C in Fig. 1, the road tool A will be drawn intoposition 'so that the roller 13 will overhang the curb C and theoperator will loosen the bolts 11 so that the roller 13 can be elevatedsufficiently for this purpose. Then the operator will adjust the scraperblade 13 to the required depth. VHaving done this, the operator will seethat the roller 13 rests upon the upper face of the curb and he willthen tighten the bolts 11, thus insuring that the lower edge 0f thescraper blade will move at a given distance from, and parallel to, theupper face of the curb.

In paving a road, that is to be provided with curbs along its sides, thecurbs are constructed first, and thus, by utilizing the fixed levelestablished by the completed curb for regulating the level at `which thescraper blade operates, there is secured a uniformity of grade that cannot possibly be obtained when the curb is not utilized in this way. f

I claim: l v A depth gauge of the character described comprising anangular bracket provided .with approximately vertical and ,horizontallegs, 5 the lower end of the vertical 'leg provided with an attachingilange, the horizontal leg provided with a bearing positioned With itsbore extending vertically, .a cylindrical stem --bearin-g,a fork on thelower end of the stem,

and aroller rotatably mounted in'said fork. Signed at 'Los Angeles,Calif., this 18th Vv,da-yaoi' January, 1927.

DANIEL W. RIDDLE.

